Troubled Australian actor Matthew Newton has been arrested again in the United States after allegedly punching a hotel clerk because he could not get mobile phone reception.

Napier Valazquez from Miami police says the arrest happened about a week ago, after Newton got into an argument with a clerk at the front desk of the Courtyard Marriott on Miami Beach because there was no mobile phone signal.

The incident was captured on CCTV.

"The next thing you see in the video is Mr Newton getting upset and knocking off all the papers that were on the counter," Mr Valazquez said.

"And after a few seconds he walks around the counter to get to the other side and confronts the clerk face-to-face.

"After a few minutes arguing with the clerk he punches the clerk to the face, he drops to ground and he jumps on top of him as well.

"There is a column blocking the video camera at that point so you don't see the entire struggle on the ground.

"The clerk does stand up at one point and Mr Newton follows him through the lobby."

The footage then shows Newton lying on the floor next to the clerk before standing up and following him back behind the reception desk.

The police report into the incident says Newton "pulled away" as they tried to put handcuffs on him.

Newton has been charged with battery as well as resisting arrest without violence.

Mr Valazquez says Newton told police the clerk had spat in his face, although that is not visible in the video footage.

"It was more of a he said/he said scenario and there were no visible injuries to either gentleman," Mr Valazquez said.

Newton, the son of well-known entertainment identities Bert and Patti Newton, was also arrested in Miami earlier this month after allegedly refusing to leave a bar.

Bert Newton says he has not spoken to his son today but that he still has the support of his family.

"We're getting through it. It's been going on for a fair while now, but we're strong people, and we have some good things happening in our lives too," he said.

"We're pretty positive people.

"We would like this to have a happy ending and I'm sure it's still possible there will be a happy ending.

"We're doing everything we can to try and help that happy ending."

Newton's Australian lawyer Chris Murphy took to Twitter to defend his client.

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